1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an amphibious locomotion propulsion system, and more particularly, to an amphibious retractable paddling propulsion system for adaptation to any type vehicle to allow the vehicle to drive over land or water.
2. Description of the Background Art
There are several amphibious vehicles known for travel over land and, or water. Water bicycles that employ paddles are known as well. There are also a variety of water vessels that employ propulsion systems that are not meant for land use. The amphibious vehicles known require a water-tight body as they are partially submerged when driven in water. These amphibious vehicles fail to employ a retractable paddle and track system. In addition, these vehicles and devices are not adapted for use on any type of vehicle to make it amphibious. If a retractable paddle track system were available for converting any vehicle into an amphibious vehicle without requiring a water tight body it would be well received for recreational, military, police and rescue use. However, there are no such systems known.
As noted, there are a variety of land, water and amphibious vehicles disclosed in the prior art. With respect to amphibian vehicles, U.S. Pat. No. 2,416,128, issued to Swennes, discloses an amphibian vehicle having a watertight body and a track and series of treads for locomotion. Swennes has tracks on both sides of the vehicle with lugs and grousers and sprockets that are used to propel the vehicle through water. U.S. Pat. No. 2,878,883, issued to France et al., discloses an amphibian vehicle having a buoyant watertight hull with a vehicle cab superimposed thereon. The France et al. includes a propeller and steering rudder for propulsion through water and front and rear traction assemblies for moving the vehicle over rough terrain. U.S. Pat. No. 2,916,006, issued to Crandal, discloses an amphibian vehicle having a watertight body, rudder and series of roller bags or wheels that are inflatable to provide desired flotation of the vehicle on unstable soils such as sand, swamps, mud and the like. Each roller bag of the bottom lay has an effective pressure area to water for exerting a pressure force against the water advance the vehicle. The watertight body together with the inflatable roller bags provide for flotation of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,618, issued to Fisher, discloses an all terrain articulated vehicle having two similar four-wheeled or two-tracked vehicle bodies wherein the vehicle bodies are articulately connected by a universal joint. Fisher includes tracks around pairs of wheels with a series of treads for locomotion.
Several paddle driven vehicles are also known in the background art. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,338, issued to Fanelli, discloses a water bicycle and detachable device for converting a sail board into a water bicycle. The water bicycle has a flotation member and a frame removably mounted to the flotation member and pedals rotatably mounted to the frame. Paddle wheels are provided on on either side of the frame and are interconnected with the pedals so as to be rotatably driven by the pedals. U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,843, issued to Yun, discloses an amphibian bicycle including a bicycle body, two pairs of air tubes, air tube supporting members, a pair of wheels wherein the rear wheel is fitted with a plurality of paddles or wheel webs, front brake locking member, a rear brake pad lifting member and a ratchet gearing stopper. For land operation, the air tubes, air tube supporting members, the direction controller, and the wheel webs are separated from the amphibian bicycle. U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,065, issued to Hall, discloses a paddle wheel propulsion device kit which can be removably affixed to a canoe and like watercraft. A folding and removable paddle wheel fender prevents water from entering the watercraft while moving under power. The propulsion power includes a chain drive from a bicycle type mechanism with soft pedals and removably anchored inside the watercraft.
A variety of propulsion systems for water vessels are also known in the background art. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 121,738, issued to Whitehead, discloses a propulsion system for canal-boats having a series of blades or paddles attached to and operated by an endless band or chain, the blades being operated within a channel in the bottom of the boat and constructed so they remain in a vertical position when moving from stem to stern of the boat. U.S. Pat. No. 464,621, issued to Fisher, discloses a propulsion system for water vessels having a plurality of vanes or propellers attached to an endless chain consisting of a series of links adapted to be engaged by sprocket wheels. U.S. Pat. No. 921,823, issued to Gays, discloses a boat propulsion system having two members arranged at wither side of the hull of the vessel, wherein in each member there has a plurality of paddles or buckets, driving means for driving the paddles, a bucket carrier for each of the members and a bucket trip means. The paddles or buckets are caused to traverse, in each member, paths of travel in a horizontal plane. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 1,729,974, issued to Watson, discloses a propeller for driving water vessels in opposite directions without reversing the direction of the propeller travel. Watson's propeller includes an endless propeller chain adapted to travel over a pair of spaced sprocket wheels mounted on drive shafts, a chain having sprocket links and connecting links having outstanding portions rotatably secured to paddles or vanes. A single chain and paddle structure as described is secured on each side of the water vessel.
The background art also includes a number of other vehicles that fail to address amphibious travel and corresponding shortcomings. U.S. Pat. No. 413,852, issued to French, discloses a chain propeller system that is not adapted for amphibious travel as contemplated by the instant invention. U.S. Pat. No. 583,762, issued to Moore, discloses a propeller for boats that is not adapted for land travel. U.S. Pat. No. 1,869,136, issued to Farraguto, discloses a means for the propulsion of ships or similar vessels. U.S. Pat. No. 1,928,511, issued to Martin, discloses a buoyant propulsion device for a vehicle or boat that may be used on land or water. Martin, however, fails to disclose a retractable paddle system. U.S. Pat. No. 2,980,054, issued to Sanders, discloses an amphibious vehicle that purports to lend itself to ease of steering. U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,237, issued to Zalkauskas, discloses a paddle boat that is not amphibious.
As can be seen, the foregoing patents fail to disclose a retractable track paddling propulsion system for adaptation to any type vehicle to allow the vehicle to drive over land or water. The foregoing patents also fail to teach a track paddling propulsion system having collapsible or retractable paddles for allowing travel over land wherein the paddles are extendable for water locomotion. In addition, the background patents fail to teach a water propulsion system wherein only the paddles are exposed to and engage the water to avoid unnecessary drag. If there was such a propulsion system it would address the shortcomings in the background art and be well received for use in recreation, the military and by rescue personnel. As there are no known amphibious propulsion system having these specifications and attributes, there exists a need for such a device. It is, therefore, to the effective resolution of the aforementioned problems and shortcomings of the prior art that the present invention is directed. The instant invention addresses this unfulfilled need in the prior art by providing an amphibious paddle track propulsion system as contemplated by the instant invention disclosed herein.